MaxPoint prefers to measure its success by excluding traffic acquisition costs from the revenue figure, and had projected the full year to be between $81.1 million and $85.1 million under that metric. The actual number beat that estimate, at $86.3 million.

Epperson called surpassing the targets proof of its ability to grow and expand.

When asked by an analyst if traffic acquisition cost reductions could improve the margins, Epperson said no – that customer objectives took precedence over pricing.

“Our system works first and foremost to deliver for our customers,” he said. “The TAC (traffic acquisition cost) rates fall out from there."

About 32 percent of its 2015 revenue was from non-display advertising, which includes mobile, video and social. Revenue from mobile advertising on phones and tablets accounted for 26 percent, up from 15 percent in 2014. Additionally, the company increased its enterprise customer count to 709 in the fourth quarter (up from 479 in the same time period of 2014).

While the numbers Epperson and Schomber were celebrating showed a growth trajectory for MaxPoint, there was continued deceleration, Schomber acknowledged.

Schomber says some of the deceleration came down to customers wanting to access the data through their own platforms. MaxPoint tracks demographic and purchasing data down to the ZIP code, with a platform that can help companies predict what people will be buying, down to the neighborhood. As a result of customer activity, MaxPoint is now “developing new avenues to bring data analytics to customers” to be introduced later this year, Schomber said. But the primary business model won’t change.

Other factors in its slowed growth included softened automotive spend, which ended the year at half of the levels of the previous year, Schomber said.

The company, which has been a mainstay on growth lists, will not be hiring significantly in 2016, Epperson said.

“We spent '14 and '15 getting ourselves to what we think are our ideal staffing levels,” he said. "It allows us to grow the business and yet achieve our vision on innovating the products and closing, if you will, that gap between the digital world and the physical world.”

The company ended the year with 192 employees in sales and marketing, and 145 employees in research and development.

Additionally, the company announced its board had approved a stock repurchase program of up to $4 million and had amended its credit line to accommodate continued cash flow.

Stock was up 9 percent immediately following the bell, but settled back down to $1.90, up about 6.2 percent after the earnings call.